Library & Innovation Centre

For the 50% of the Australian coast that is composed of sand and in some places mud, the shoreline is prone to change, building seaward and in some places eroding landward.

Coastal erosion is the loss of land along the shoreline due to the natural removal of beach and dune material in response to changing wave and water level conditions.

The coast is constantly adjusting to changes in wave and tide processes and sediment supply, so it is important to distinguish between short-term changes in the coast and long-term coastal erosion.

Coastal erosion and shoreline recession from sea-level rise is a significant risk to coastal Australia.